By Adedapo Adesanya

Three securities on the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange lifted the bourse by 0.28 per cent on the first trading session of the week on Friday, January 2.

According to data, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc added 63 Kobo to close at N35.63 per unit compared with the previous price of N35.00 per unit, Geo-Fluids Plc increased by 51 Kobo to finish at N6.51 per share versus N6.00 per share, and Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc expanded by 5 Kobo to end at 63 Kobo per unit, in contrast to the preceding session’s 58 Kobo per unit.

As a result, the market capitalisation went up by N5.94 billion to N2.126 trillion from N2.120 trillion, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) chalked up 10.28 points to close at 3,553.84 points compared with Wednesday’s closing value of 3,543.56 points.

Trading activity resumed yesterday after a break on Thursday for New Year’s day celebration and the activity level was low.

The volume of securities fell by 99.7 per cent to 3.6 million units from the previous 1.4 billion units, the value of securities depreciated by 99.6 per cent to N14.1 million from N3.6 billion, while the number of deals increased by 9.5 per cent to 23 deals from 21 deals.

The most active stock by value was CSCS Plc with 264,050 units exchanged for N9.4 million, Geo-Fluids Plc traded 433,470 units for N2.8 million, and IGI Plc transacted 2.9 million units worth N1.9 million.

But, IGI Plc was the most active stock by volume with 2.9 million units traded for N1.9 million, Geo-Fluids Plc recorded the sale of 433,470 units for N2.8 million, and CSCS Plc sold 264,050 units valued at N9.4 million.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Oil prices were up on the first trading day of 2026 after registering their biggest annual loss since 2020, as investors weighed oversupply concerns against geopolitical risks, including the war in Ukraine and Venezuela exports.

Brent crude futures ended at $60.75 per barrel after adding 10 cents as the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures also grew by 10 cents to $57.32 a barrel.

Russia and Ukraine traded allegations of attacks on civilians on New Year’s Day despite talks overseen by US President Donald Trump, aimed at ending the nearly four-year-old war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote that over 200 attack drones were launched onto Ukraine in the night by Russia, saying energy infrastructure in seven regions across Ukraine had been targeted.

Russia accused Ukraine of killing at least 24 people in a drone strike on a hotel and cafe where civilians were seeing in the New Year in a Russian-controlled part of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine.

Ukraine’s military, which has accused Russia of killing many civilians in its own attacks on Ukrainian cities, said it targeted strictly military and energy targets.

Meanwhile, Trump administration ratcheted up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday, imposing sanctions on four companies and associated oil tankers it said were operating in Venezuela’s oil sector.

Despite the threat, Venezuela said it is ready to accept US investment in its oil.

The US-Venezuela tensions have escalated since early December, when President Trump ordered a naval blockade offshore Venezuela to halt sanctioned tankers shipping oil and products to and from the South American country.

President Trump also threatened to aid protesters in Iran if security forces fire on them, days into unrest that has left and posed the biggest internal threat in years to Iranian authorities.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allied producers (OPEC+) is due to meet on Sunday. Traders widely expect the group to continue pausing output increases in the first quarter.

In recent days, OPEC’s top producer and de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, and the cartel’s large producer and influential member, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had a very public rift regarding their backing of opposing sides in Yemen.

In November, the eight OPEC+ producers – Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman – decided to keep production steady over the first quarter of 2026. It also decided to pause production increments in January, February, and March 2026 due to seasonality.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has called for policy consistency, the protection of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and private sector-led growth to strengthen Nigeria’s economy in 2026.

The President of the chamber, Mr Emeka Obegolu, made the call in a New Year message issued by the ACCI Media and Strategy Officer, Mrs Olayemi John-Mensah, on Thursday in Abuja.

He submitted that consistent policies and private-sector-friendly reforms were critical to reducing the cost of doing business and achieving sustainable economic development, stressing the need for strong protection of MSMEs, describing them as the backbone of the Nigerian economy.

According to him, sustained stakeholder engagement and predictable reforms would encourage investment and business expansion.

The ACCI president said the organised private sector remained cautiously optimistic about business opportunities in 2026, noting that the optimism persisted in spite global and domestic economic pressures affecting businesses.

He commended Nigerian businesses for their resilience and adaptability in navigating the economic challenges of 2025, adding that businesses demonstrated commitment to innovation and value creation despite inflation and foreign exchange volatility.

Mr Obegolu also cited high energy costs, rising interest rates and limited access to finance as key constraints faced by enterprises.

According to him, these challenges underscored the importance of chambers of commerce in advocating stability and competitiveness.

He said economic reforms were necessary but should be carefully sequenced to safeguard MSMEs and organised businesses.

Mr Obegolu warned that poorly managed reforms could result in business closures, job losses and capital flight.

He drew attention to over N720 billion in outstanding contractor debts owed by government.

He said delayed settlement of verified obligations had weakened cash flows and disrupted supply chains.

According to him, the situation had particularly affected indigenous contractors and MSMEs nationwide.

He urged government to prioritise transparent verification and timely settlement of the debts to stimulate economic activity.

Mr Obegolu also called on the Federal Government and the FCT Administration to create a more enabling and predictable business environment.

He noted that Abuja had evolved into a major commercial and investment hub requiring stronger infrastructure and regulatory support.

He reaffirmed ACCI’s commitment to constructive engagement with government to promote ease of doing business and inclusive economic growth.